Zumtobel Lighting and the Thorn Lighting brand have supplied the lighting for the new Durham DTC (Durham Treatment Centre), a purpose-built facility ‘designed with patient experience in mind’.
The two companies have supplied ‘a huge variety of fittings’ to illuminate all areas of the 2,500 m2 facility, which is located just outside (Durham) city centre, and where thousands of patients across Durham and the surrounding areas can their specialist care locally at a new diagnostic and treatment centre described by City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust as ‘state-of-the-art’.
Durham DTC will increase the capacity of renal dialysis services currently offered in Durham, and also expand Urology, Ophthalmology, and Nephrology Services and ENT outpatient clinics. Zumbtobel and Thorn explained: “It was extremely important throughout the development that the centre would provide purpose-built, high-quality, and cutting-edge facilities which meet the demands seen in modern healthcare, yet retain the flexibility for future growth.
Thorn’s Beta Office, an alternative recessed panel which the company says ‘bridges the economic gap between LED technology and conventional light sources’, was chosen for treatment and clean utility areas. The company says that the EN12464-compliant luminaire’s prismatic diffuser ‘is perfect for working and circulation areas’.
Thorn supplied Omega luminaires for the treatment areas where a surface option was required, also utilising the low profile surface kit accessory. With its slim 12 mm profile, the fitting incorporates a UV-stabilised opal acrylic diffuser ‘to retain its clean look’. Thorn explained: “The IP44-rated Omega provides excellent glare control (UGR<19/22), and is easily retrofitted, while maintenance is significantly reduced thank to the 50,000 hour lifespan of the 4000K LED lamps supplied with the fitting.
Zumtobel’s CLEAN cleanroom recessed three-level linear luminaires have also been installed. These incorporate a high quality anodised aluminium frame and toughened safety glass insert
Thorn’s Chalice was reportedly ‘an obvious choice’ in waiting areas, and will reportedly reduce energy use by up to 60 per cent, while in open plan office areas, the company’s IQ Wave, ‘with its simple and flowing lines’, has created ‘a modern but simplistic aesthetic’; it offers a Unified Glare Rating of <19 compliant to EN12464. IQ Wave features ‘an innovative MV tech optic’, which Thorn says offers ‘excellent uniformity’, a colour temperature of 4000K and glare control plus direct/indirect light for illuminance on faces and walls, ‘to encourage a relaxed and comfortable environment’. For ease of installation, its new 'red flag design' allows easy access to pull the set-up from below the ceiling without having to remove the optics, allowing a more secure fixing.
Thorn says the new lighting ‘has played a key role in achieving the desired lighting effect, providing the desired quality of light, high energy savings, and low maintenance costs’. It explained: “This element was extremely important to the Trust and to its maintenance provider, City Hospitals Independent Commercial Enterprises (CHoICE).”
CHoICE director, Wayne Carr added: “Thorn being a locally based company with a high quality reputation was key to selection of the product by our engineering team.”
